2015 Cadillac Escalade: First Impressions

2015 Cadillac Escalade⁶

For the past 10 years, I have not paid any mind to the Cadillac Escalade. Why, because for the past 14 years the Cadillac Escalade was just a rebadged GMC Yukon Denali and Chevy Tahoe. Don't believe me? Go on Google Images and look at the interior shots of all three vehicles in the same model year and you will see the similarities. Now of course the materials and colors will be different and there will be subtle layout differences, but look at the overall design. You will see that the steering wheels are identical, the center consoles are the same, and even the dashboards are similar. Pop the hood and you'll even see the same LS V8 mated to the same transmission in all the three vehicles. The main problem about rebadged cars is all of the problems found in the lower tier vehicle will be found in the more expensive vehicles. So in 2011 when the Chevy Yukon was recalled for steering and rear suspension problems, the 2011 GMC Denali and Cadillac Escalade suffered through those same recalls^1,2,3. And when the Chevy Yukon was recalled for brakes, steering, and transmission problems in 2012, the 2012 GMC Denali and Cadillac Escalade had to be recalled too^4,5. What happened to brand separation? Ford had this same problem with Mercury and Lincoln and look where that have gotten them; Mercury is dead and Lincoln had to overhaul their entire company to stay afloat. GM really needs to pay attention and do a better job at establishing brand separation. Even though some Audis use the same chassis as Volkswagen and some Lexus’s are based off Toyota’s platform, you cannot distinguish the lower tiered vehicles from its more expensive counterpart. Although GM rebadges a handful of their vehicles and all of those vehicles are currently North American exclusives, Cadillac cannot afford to mess up with any of their vehicles. They only have 5 main models in their lineup and they cannot assume that the ATS and the CTS (their most popular vehicles) will keep them out of trouble.

Thankfully, Cadillac is beginning to pay more attention to their brand image and is moving in the right direction despite GM’s dwindling stock numbers. The new 2015 Cadillac Escalade is beginning to redefine its image and move away from its Chevy and Yukon brothers. They are all based off the same platform, which is ok, but the Escalade offers a different exterior, interior, powertrain, and features than its younger brothers. That is a huge step in the right direction.  Let’s take a first look at the new Escalade, the SUV that reintroduce Cadillac into the luxury market back in 1999.

Design

Bold, advanced, and luxurious are the 3 words that came to mind when I first saw the new 2015 Cadillac Escalade. If you ask Cadillac what they think of the design, they would say art and science. Art and science is the new design inspiration that Cadillac is starting to use in their recent models. Whether you can see this art and science inspiration in the new Cadillac’s is based on a viewer’s perception but the inspiration is there.

Beautiful LED headlights and accent lights that extend down the bumper⁶

The headlights are the most noticeable design feature that holds the art and science DNA. These headlights are made up of LED lights instead of the traditional bulbs and projector beam units that we are used too. Because LED are lighter, brighter and last 20 times longer than traditional light sources, designers can go crazy when designing light units and consumers don’t have to buy and replace their bulbs anymore. When I look at the Cadillac’s headlights, it’s basically a vertical version of Acura’s Jewel headlights seen in their new vehicles. These LED ice cubes are then neighbored by a long LED accent light that runs all the way down to the bumper. Remember those accent lights; just like how you can recognize an Audi from afar just by its LED accent light, you will recognize current and future Cadillac’s with these long vertical accent lights day or night. The same concept is seen in the taillights, all LED lights (not new) formatted in very long and narrow tail lights (very new). The automotive internet world has shared some negative views and criticism about these tail lights. But I personally don’t believe people hate them because they are ugly, I believe people don’t like them because they different, new, and nothing else is like it one the market. People are natural conservatives; we don’t like change or new things. Just wait till 2015 and popularity increases, people will begin to like this tail light design. Overall exterior designs extremely well when you get the ESV model.

The current controversial tail lights⁶

The interior is just as luxurious and revolutionary as the exterior. I am pleased to see that the interior looks nothing like the GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe. It’s a beautiful montage of premium leather, woods, and technology. The very noticeable center stack retains the waterfall or V-like effect that is seen on the grill in the exterior. I pray that the QUE infotaiment system is improved in this Escalade because the current generation in the Cadillac ETS, ATS, and CTS is slow, hard to use while driving, and unresponsive. The QUE system is not all bad, its a good idea and may revolutionize the infotainment industry when it's fixed. But as of now, you will miss simple knobs and buttons to adjust climate control, control volume, and perform other simple actions. The no button theme also continues on the steering wheel, which will be interesting to try out for myself. For those who don’t know what I mean by no button theme; Cadillac’s new center console uses a black touch screen like plate instead of traditional physical buttons. The Que system will also collaborate with the all new 12” reconfigurable gauge cluster to display pages upon pages of driver information⁶.

All new interior including new steering wheel and virtual guage cluster .
That twotone color design is sexy.⁶

Luxury is maintained all the way to the back seats.
Looks better in the Kona brown color option⁶

There are 3 trim levels offered for the Escalade; Standard, Luxury, and Premium. The Luxury trim offers 22" rims, driver awareness packages (only warnings, not active), a head up display, and IntelliBeam headlamps6. One of the driver awareness features is the Rear Cross-Traffic Alert from the ETS. This feature is amazing! Everyone who drives full size SUVs know how nerve wrecking it can be when they back out into traffic in the city or close quarter environments. The IntelliBeam headlamps continuously scans for vehicles ahead and when they sense an oncoming vehicle, the headlight will dim to prevent you from blinding those vehicles. The Premium trim includes everything from the Luxury package but changes all of the driver awareness features from warnings to full automatic, and adds a 9" rear sear entertainment system6.

Cadillac has down a good job integrating the lines from the
power dome with the grill⁶

Powertrain

                The 2015 Cadillac Escalade’s powertrain is also all new and exclusive. The new Escalade will be equipped with a 6.2L V8 engine with direct injection, variable valve timing, and active fuel management producing a whopping 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque⁶. That’s a 17 hp and 43 lb-ft bump over the current Escalade’s 6.2L Vortec V8⁷. Does this new engine sound familiar? Does it sounds allot like the 6.2L V8 used in the new Corvette Stingray? Before you get too excited let me inform you that they are not the same engine. Despite occupying the same volume and using the same technology, this V8 is an all new engine available in the new Escalade and GMC Denali. Thanks to the active fuel management technology (disables 4 of the cylinders for maximum fuel economy) in the new V8, we should expect better fuel economy than the current generation (14 MPG city/18 MPG highway) despite producing more power⁷. Interesting fact; despite producing more power in the new engine, Cadillac actually lowered its trailering max from 8300 lbs to 8200 lbs^6,7. I wonder why that is. I know most don’t associate an Escalade as a vehicle to tow a yacht but I have seen it personally so there is a market niche.

Side profile of the new 2015 Cadillac Escalade⁶

                Carried over from the current model and found throughout GM vehicles, the new Escalade will include the Magnetic Ride Control. This suspension system is a GM savior. I knew it was something special when I saw that GM sold its usage to Ferrari. Magnetic Ride Control monitors the road about 1000 times a second and continuously makes adjustments to road conditions to produce the smoothest ride and best handling.

Competition

                The competitors for the Cadillac Escalade are the Land Rover, Infiniti QX56, Lexus GX, Lincoln Navigator, and maybe the Mercedes-Benz GL. Even though current and past Escalades was able to keep up with the large luxury SUV market, it was always towards the bottom of the list. Why? I believe past Escalades was able to sell mainly because of its image and statement it stood for rather than its quality, durability, and luxury. It's like the Hummer, people brought the Hummer because it was a Hummer. Buyers wanted that manly war-toughened vehicle and wanted to be seen in one, not because the Hummer was a good reliable car (it wasn’t) and could trek across the mountains like a military vehicle (not even close to be able to do that). The Escalade has a statement and image associated with it, and previous buyers brought the Escalade because of that image. Cadillac cannot continue to produce average vehicles and run their marketing strategy on this “buy a Cadillac because it’s a Cadillac” statement. They need to step up their game if they intend to dwell in this market place and charge a whopping $65,000 – $85,000 for an Escalade. America does not want an $80,000 version of a Chevy Tahoe, we want a luxury vehicle that offers performance, durability, technology that makes consumers question other companies like Lexus, and Infinity.

The ESV's proportions fits the Escalade's design well⁶

                In the past, I never paid the Cadillac Escalade any mind because it was an example of rebadging at its finest. I was serious when I said that America does not need an $80,000 Chevy Tahoe; that’s what the GMC Yukon Denali is for. America needs a Cadillac, a luxury vehicle that uses its art and science philosophy to produce vehicles that are unique and competitive in today’s market. Cadillac is beginning to branch into the right direction but based on my first look, they are not there yet. Yes Cadillac produced a new vehicle unique from its GM cousins, but I am not convinced they produced a vehicle that is seriously competitive against other luxury SUVs. Don’t get me wrong, people will purchase the new Escalade in large numbers mainly because it’s an Escalade. But Cadillac will struggle to attract enough new customers to move it up the top large luxury SUV list.

Work Cited

1.       MotorTrend. "2011 Cadillac Escalade Recalls." Motor Trend Magazine. MotorTrend.com, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. <http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2011/cadillac/escalade/recalls/>.

2.       MotorTrend. "2011 Chevrolet Tahoe Recalls." Motor Trend Magazine. MotorTrend.com, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. <http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2011/chevrolet/tahoe/recalls/>.

3.       MotorTrend. "2011 GMC Yukon Recalls." Motor Trend Magazine. MotorTrend.com, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. <http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2011/gmc/yukon/recalls/>.

4.       MotorTrend. "Chevrolet Tahoe Recalls." Motor Trend Magazine. MotorTrend.com, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. <http://www.motortrend.com/new_cars/08/chevrolet/tahoe/recalls/>.

5.       MotorTrend. "GMC Yukon Recalls." Motor Trend Magazine. MotorTrend.com, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. <http://www.motortrend.com/new_cars/08/gmc/yukon/recalls/>.

6.       Cadillac. "2015 Escalade Luxury SUV | Cadillac." Cadillac.com. Cadillac.com, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013. <http://www.cadillac.com/future-cars/2015-escalade.html>.

7.       Cadillac. "STANDARD & OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT." Cadillac.com. Cadillac.com, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013. <http://www.cadillac.com/escalade-suv/features-specs/standard-optional-equipment.html>.

Read More

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250: Setting the new entry level luxury sedan standard

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250⁶

If you have never seen the Mercedes Benz’s Super Bowl commercial with William Defoe playing as the devil for the new 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250, you need to go to YouTube and watch it. That commercial blew me and probably half of the viewing audience away thanks to that unbelievable MSRP of $29,900. $29,900 for a Mercedes-Benz! Sounds too good to be true, right? It turns out that there is a little more to this vehicle than just a price.

Design

The new 2014 CLA250 is Mercedes-Benz’s new compact luxury sedan that is listed under the C250 within the Benz’s lineup hierarchy. With a price starting price of $29,900 plus destination, it is also the cheapest Mercedes in the United State’s market place. Think of it as a baby CLS because that is basically where the overall design language comes from. That sloping roof line, broad grill, even the tail lights of the CLA easily resembles its big brother. Now I don’t really comment on vehicle design very much because beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I will comment on some styling cues that are interesting to me. First, the car looks sportier than it really is. Mercedes have done a good job in producing an aggressive but classy design without going over the top. Add on the Sports package ($2,200) and you’ll receive a more aggressive front splitter and real diffuser, a tire and brake upgrade, and some cooling vents. Another interesting stylish touch is the illuminated 3 pointed star on the grill. It’s a $480 option that will look cool at dawn and dusk. It’s hard to forget about the beautiful diamond block grill. This grill has that mesmerizing levitation effect that is functional by improving airflow and looks good at the same time.

The new Diamond Block grill on the new CLA9

 The interior of the 2014 CLA250 has that tradition two tone Mercedes-Benz look with the million buttons underneath the vents. I wonder if people still use that number pad today. The CLA comes standard with a smooth vinyl interior littered with planes of plastic. Yes, I said plastic. Now all cars, no matter how expensive, have plastic in their interiors somewhere. But the CLA’s interior will possess the most amount of plastic than any other Mercedes. I guess in order to support that low MSRP, they have to substitute some plastics bits in there somewhere. The sporty theme is carried into the interior with standard sport seats and a flat bottom steering wheel. Flat bottom steering wheels are one of those stupid design gimmicks that caught on to imply sportiness. Honestly, a flat bottom steering wheel fitted into a cargo van doesn’t make it faster, but it’s there to make you feel good. The most eye catching feature of this interior is the new 5.4 inch LCD multimedia screen. I will talk about the screen’s features later, but let me complain about the design now. It’s bad, really bad. It looks like the designers design the whole interior before realizing that they forgot to include the LCD screen. So they fashioned a plastic stand protruding from the dash and stuck the screen right on top. The screen looks removable, even though it is not. Which is concerning because things that unintentionally look removable makes you question quality. And even though it comes standard, it looks like a hundred dollar removable navigation box.

Notice the CLS themed sloping roof line of the CLA.
This CLA250 is equipped with the sports package11

Lastly, the CLA250 is a lot smaller in person than it looks in pictures. Its overall dimensions (15ft 2.3 in long, 5ft 10in wide, and 4ft 8.6in high²) places it 3 inches shorter than the Audi A4⁴, BMW 320i⁵, and Acura TSX³. And the lack of those 3 inches shows in rear seat space. It’s really cramped in the back. An average adult’s kneecap will brush against the front seats and the sloping roof line sacrifices head room. Short drives in the back will pass in most cases, but it’s a back seat fitted for children and teens.

Powertrain

                Besides the CLA250’s attractive looks, the powertrain is a feature that should never be ignored. The CLA250 comes standard with 2.0 liter direct injected turbocharged four cylinder that produces 208 horsepower and a brutal 258 foot pounds of torque through the front wheels. Now that not as impressive as Ford’s 2.0 EcoBoost but that much power pack into a compact sedan is nothing to sniff at. Mercedes utilizes a rapid multispark ignition system, high pressure direct injection, and a twin scroll turbocharger to produces those impressive numbers. With 258ft-lbs of torque and a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds, you might mistake this car for having a large V6. And because that boosted power is available from 1,250-4000 rpm, the CLA will feel effortless in all driving scenarios. The two liter turbo is mated to a 7 speed double clutch automatic (DCT) with manual mode. You have to love DCT’s quick and seamless gear changes and various driving modes (eco, sport, and manual). Speaking of eco mode, this car is “capable of achieving” 26 city/38 highway miles per gallon! In terms of power output to fuel economy, that is extremely impressive. Probably class leading in terms of holding the “most powerful fuel efficient engine in its class” title, if there is such a thing. But I did say “capable of achieving” because Americans love torque too much to hold such numbers in real life.

                Now for those who have experience driving front wheel drive vehicles with more than 250 foot pounds of torque are probably concern about torque steer. I say no worries for you doubters because thanks to Mercedes’ advanced stability control, traction control system, and the numbing effects of electric power steering, torque steer is practically eliminated. For now, the 4matic all wheel drive option is not available for the CLA250 but there are rumors stating that it is coming soon. Beware Audi!

The CLA model line also has AMG variant that also carries a 2.0 liter turbocharged 4 cylinder that unleashes a monstrous 355 horsepower and 332 foot pounds of torque. But I will save the AMG’s specs for another article.

Options

                Most reviewers, except for CNET of Cars, seldom dive into the realm of options, but I believe options available to vehicles are just as important as available engine selections. Here are some options that I believe you should look at and others that you should ignore. Remember that oddly place LCD screen? That 5.4 inch box comes standard with HD Radio and Hands-free Bluetooth connectivity. If you are a simplist in terms of interior options, that box is all you need. The Bluetooth connectivity allows you to link up your phone to dial and receive hands-free calls and stream music. Those who need a little more features from that box can upgrade to the multimedia package for $2,370. This package includes a larger 7 inch display, a backup camera, 80GB hard-drive navigation, Sirius XM® traffic and weather, in-dash 6 disc DVD/CD player and SD card reader, and a 10 GB music register. The 10GB music register is just an in-car hard drive to store your music. The problem about this register is that the only way to download music to it is by ripping song from CDs and audio DVDs, which no one does anymore. Hard drive based navigation are not as impressive as they used to be since the maps tend to become outdated within a year or two. Although the multimedia package can be an eye catching upgrade for most buyers, there is a catch. In order for you to qualify to upgrade to the multimedia package, you have to first purchase the $2,300 premium package. I absolutely hate package bundling. This means obtaining the multimedia package actually cost an eye watering $4,670! So unless you need a backup camera, which you shouldn’t with this small of a car, I would totally ignore this option. Iphone owners should look at the Drive Kit Plus for the iPhone® Accessory ($599). This feature integrates your iPhone and its apps such as navigation and media apps, including Facebook®, Twitter®, and Pandora® to your Mercedes. An expensive feature, but worth it compared to the multimedia package. For those who do not own an iPhone®, I can refer you to the stupid and pointless Mercedes-Benz Apps for $14 per month. Oh and those Mercedes apps package requires you to purchase the premium/multimedia package combo.

Premium interior with lots of safety features and a dorky LCD screen.
Leather interior, wood trim, and a panoramic sunroof available to
fully customize your interior1

I cannot talk about a Mercedes vehicle without diving into its world class safety features. Here are some safety features that are standard. Collision prevention assist; the radar feature that warns you of potential objects to collide into. Adaptive Braking technology; where the car will prime the brakes for instant response whenever you rapidly release the gas pedal. Attention assist; the “you need more coffee” warning when the car sees that your sleepy. Rain-sensing windshield wipers; for those who are too lazy to move their fingers and manually activate their windshield wipers. Steer control; Mercedes claims it’s a sporty feature that can detect if slight steering corrections is necessary and perform them for you to enhance handling. In other words, Steer control is like traction control for your steering wheel. Mercedes, please leave that feature out of the AMG lineup! Please! If you want additional safety features, be prepared to pay $2,000 for the driver assistance package. This package includes Adaptive cruise control (which I love), Blind spot monitory, lane keep assist, and active collision prevention (different from the standard feature by braking for you in emergencies). And for those who can’t drive, active parking assist is available for $970. Parking assist understandably belongs in SUVs and trucks, not compact sedans.

 Absolute base price for the CLA250 is $30,825. Add on the premium and multimedia package ($4,670) and driver assistance package ($2,500), packages I believe most people will get, the price will become a hefty $37,995. This is a lot of money compared to the vehicles Mercedes are aiming at as their competitors, but not overpriced. Personally, I would order those bright Bi-Xenon headlamps ($850), the driver assistance package, and the iPhone drive kit accessory ($599) to bring the price to a respectable $34,774. Now there are other options such as the leather interior package and a panoramic sunroof but those are typical luxury options that you should choose based on your own taste.

Competitors

In terms of competitors, Mercedes-Benz and other reviewer will tell you that the 2014 CLA250’s competitors are the Lexus CT200h, Acura ILX, and BMW 1-series coupe. That’s honestly a low blow to make such comparisons. Of course the CLA comes on top compared to Lexus’ version of the Toyota Prius, a Honda Civic with a suit on, and a roadster hatchback looking thing.  Now I understand that this segment is a huge market but Mercedes should not be setting their sights toward smaller, simpler, and less powerful vehicles. I believe the true competitors are the 2014 Audi A3 sedan (not the hatchback version that we are all used too), 2013 Buick Regal (forgot about that car didn’t you), Cadillac ATS, BMW 320i, Acura TSX, and the Mercedes C250. Now I chose those vehicles because I believe they will be in consumers’ cross shopping list for an entry level luxury sedan

                Yes, I did label the Mercedes C250 as one of CLA’s competitors. This is not the first time we have seen one of these inner rivalries in the automotive world. Audi went though one over the past few years when many of the potential A6 buyers migrated over to the larger and more attractive A7. I believe the same situation will occur between the CLA and the C250. Think about it, the CLA is more attractive, slightly larger, faster, more fuel efficient, and cheaper with similar options than the C250. The CLA will not take over the C class’s market place because the C class offers more powerful powertrain options that are not available in the CLA, but the C250 may be rendered useless. If you’re really set on purchasing the Mercedes C250, I would wait until 2015 when they unveil the redesigned C class.

Final thoughts

Base 2014 Mercedes CLA2506

When I first saw that Mercedes SuperBowl commercial for the CLA, I assumed that the really low MSRP, attractive styling, and the desire to own a Mercedes-Benz would cause the world to purchase the new 2014 CLA250 in hoards. But after hours of research and learning about the car, I don’t think that will be the case. The CLA’s small size, dorky LCD screen, and backstabbing options list takes this car out of the “absolute must buy list.” Don’t get me wrong, that powertrain and attractive styling does makes the CLA a compelling vehicle in the entry level luxury compact sedan market. We are just going to have to see how the market copes with the CLA250, and whether the low price is reflected in overall reliability. Another interesting fact, Mercedes-Benz categorizes the CLA model as a coupe and a sedan under the vehicle tabs in their homepage. This makes Mercedes look like they maybe going through a little identity crisis with the CLA. Fill free to leave a comment below if you have any questions on the new 2014 CLA250.

Resources

1.       Autoevolution.com. "2014 Mercedes CLA #26/28." 2014 Mercedes CLA. Autoevolution.com, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.autoevolution.com/news-g-image/mercedes-benz-cla-to-start-at-pricing-and-engines-announced-photo-gallery/100131.html>.

2.       Edmunds.com. "2014 Acura TSX." Edmunds.com. Edmunds, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.edmunds.com/acura/tsx/2014/features-specs.html?style=200490522>.

3.       Edmunds.com. "2014 Audi A4." Edmunds.com. Edmunds, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.edmunds.com/audi/a4/2014/features-specs.html?style=200477387>.

4.       Edmunds.com. "2014 BMW 3-series." Edmunds.com. Edmunds, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.edmunds.com/bmw/3-series/2014/features-specs.html?style=200489817>.

5.       Edmunds.com. "2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA." Edmunds.com. Edmunds.com, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.edmunds.com/mercedes-benz/cla-class/2014/features-specs.html?style=101410564>.

6.       Findthebest.com. "2014 Mercedes-Benz C250 vs 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250."Cars.findthebest.com. Findthebest.com, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://cars.findthebest.com/compare/4769-4782/2014-Mercedes-Benz-C250-Sport-vs-2014-Mercedes-Benz-CLA250-Coupe>.

7.       Mercedes-Benz USA. "CLA-Class." Mercedes-Benz USA. Mercedes-Benz, 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/vehicles/class/class-CLA/bodystyle-CPE>.

8.       Paswall.com. "Mercedes Cla 14083 Hd Full Size." Paswall.com. Paswall.com, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://paswall.com/mercedes-cla-14083-hd.html/mercedes-cla-14083-hd>.

9.       Seriouswheels.com. "2013 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class - CLA 250 Edition 1 Studio 1 - 1920x1440 - Wallpaper." 2013 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class - CLA 250 Edition 1 Studio 1 - 1920x1440 - Wallpaper. Seriouswheel.com, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.seriouswheels.com/2013/klm/2013-Mercedes-Benz-CLA-Class-CLA-250-Edition-1-Studio-1-1920x1440.htm>.

10.   Tingwall, Eric. "2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 / CLA250 4MATIC." Car and Driver. Car and Driver, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2014-mercedes-benz-cla250-cla250-4matic-first-drive-review>.

11.   Wallsave.com. "Mercedes CLA Car." Wallsave.com. Wallsave.com, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://www.wallsave.com/wallpapers/1366x768/mercedes-cla/347857/mercedes-cla-car-347857.jpg>.

Read More

Carbon ceramic brakes vs. conventional steel brakes: Is it worth the money

When it comes to designing your dream car, the carbon ceramic brake package is often a no-brainer check off the option block. But with a price premium of $8,000 in some vehicles, is it really worth choosing ceramics over the conventional steel?

Cross drilled carbon ceramic brakes on a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta.3 

Carbon ceramics brakes used to be an exotic car exclusive. Its high price masked in the sky high price for the vehicle itself. Now, carbon ceramics brakes are making its way into everyday performance luxury cars such as Porsche, BMW, Mercedes Benz and more. Entering a consumer market place where buyers begin to care about the options they choose and the price that accompany them. The most affordable car I was able to find that offers a ceramic brake option is the Porsche Boxster ($50,400 base price), where the upgrade to ceramics cost a whopping $7,4001. I find it hard to justify that increase in price, especially with the flaws that accompany ceramics during everyday driving. Before I go explaining the flaws of carbon ceramics brakes, let me inform you of its many benefits.

Carbon ceramic brakes refer to the carbon-ceramic composite material that the rotors are made of offering superior braking performance during extreme use. This composite construction offers lighter, stronger and more durable disks than their steel counterparts. And it’s this 3 way blitz where carbon ceramics shine over steel. Despite being larger in diameter, each carbon ceramics disc are about 12 lbs lighter than steel2. Therefore a vehicle equipped with ceramics can shed 24-28 lbs off its overall curb weight2. Where ceramics shine as the ultimate brake package is in its durability. Remember, Brakes decelerate your vehicle by forcing stationary brake pads onto the moving rotors and friction stops the car. Where there is friction, there will be heat. Steel brakes often have a tough time dissipating this heat during repeat hard use on the track. When the standard steel rotors get too hot, they warp, deform, and loose performance. Carbon ceramics dissipate heat far more effectively, preventing deformation, and maintaining performance. Not only can they dissipate heat efficiently, the extreme temperatures ceramics can handle are amazing. It’s why

Ceramic brake disc glowing due to high temperatures generated friction.
Although glowing bright, performance is not impacted6

carbon ceramic brakes are the number one choice in racing. Also the carbon composite material does not corrode like steel does when they are abused by water and salt2. Carbon ceramics are also known to last forever. Ok, not forever. But it has been reported that one set of ceramic brakes can last throughout the entire life of the car, about 100,000 miles according to brake manufacturers2. Now it’s too early to confirm those results true, but that is an impressive statement to make. Now you are probably wondering why I haven’t started quoting 60-0 mph stopping distances for ceramic brakes and begin comparing them to the steel equivalent. But most fail to realize that some steel disc packages stop just as fast as the ceramics do. The only time where carbon ceramics begin to gain an advantage is after repeated heavy braking, and the heat from the friction begins to scrub performance from the steel brakes.

Carbon ceramic brakes do have its flaws, but those flaws only show itself during everyday driving. First flaw is cost. No need to explain any further. The second flaw is the “squishy” or lack of feel the brakes have when they are cold. Ceramics don’t actually begin to feel “normal” until they heat up from extended track use. Which means those brakes will never feel “normal” for the 90% of drivers who never go tracking. The squishy feeling is actually the most common complaint and is a big deal for those who love the confidence of an early brake feel. Another flaw, which is me just nitpicking, is the squeaking noise ceramics make during low speed braking. Not as loud as truck and bus brakes sound, but just as annoying. The last flaw is of course the price. Sorry, I can’t help myself. The price for the upgrade can make anyone wince at its sight. Yes, ceramics discs look cool with those large dark gray rotors crossed drilled for extra heat dissipation. Yes, ceramic disc offer exceptional braking performance on the track. Can I reiterate, on the track. But if you don’t spend your Sundays at the track, where is all the money going? It’s a hard call to make, especially the standard steel brakes offer just as good braking performance as the carbons ceramics.

Ceramic brakes fitted to Lexus' flagship sports car,
the Lexus LFA5

So tell me, is it worth the premium? Are carbon ceramic brakes an $8,000-$9,000 bragging right or a design piece like carbon fiber trim? Are carbon ceramics brakes worth the inconsistency in brake feel depending on weather? In my opinion, I say if you’re a consumer that goes to the track to take a couple hot laps. Go ahead and get the ceramic brakes, you will not regret that decision. But if you are just buying your Porsche or BMW M6 to commute around town or flog on a windy canyon road, I would stick with the standard steel brakes. They are much cheaper, more consistent in pedal feel, and offer just as much performance as the more expensive ceramics. Now I do have one exception for those who work or live near a valley or mountain, carbon ceramics is a good choice coming from a safety standpoint. Those who live in that type of environment know that there are some long windy roads that go downhill at a steep grade for long distances. The steady braking needed to traverse that road can surely cause your steel brakes to overheat and lose performance which you don’t want spiraling down a steep hill. But worst case scenario aside, it’s all up to you to make the right decision.

Resources

1. Porsche Cars North America, Inc. "Porsche Car Configurator - All Boxster Models." Model Overview. Porsche Cars North America, Inc., 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.porsche.com/usa/modelstart/all/?modelrange=boxster>.
2. Brembo SGL Carbon Ceremic Brakes. "Benefit." BSCCB. Brembo SGL, 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.carbonceramicbrakes.com/en/benefit/Pages/benefit.aspx>.
3. Car and Driver. "2012 Lexus LFA Cross-drilled Carbon-ceramic Brake Rotor and Caliper."Car and Driver. 2013 Hearst Communication, Inc., 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.caranddriver.com/photos-10q2/352444/2012-lexus-lfa-cross-drilled-carbon-ceramic-brake-rotor-and-caliper-photo-352498>.
4. Brembo. "Carbon Ceramic Discs." - Brembo Brakes. Brembo S.p.A., 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.brembo.com/en/car/original-equipment/products/Pages/Carbon ceramic discs.aspx>.
5. Ross, Michael Alan. "Carbon-ceramic Brakes." CNET. Cnet, 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-10863_7-10018759-2.html>.
6. Alexsmolik. "Ferrari 599XX Glowing Brake Disk Downshifts !!!" YouTube. YouTube, 22 Sept. 2011. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Q4OpGCfME>.

Read More